Insulator



Nov. 27, 1928. 1,693,381

a. I. GILCHREST I NSULATOR Original Filed Jan. 20- 1920 WITNESSES: INVENTOR comprise a plurality Patented Nov. 27, 1928.

UNITED STATES P TENT errics.

'GEORGE I: GILCIHIRESYI, OF WILKINSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO WESTING- HOUSE-ELECTRIC & MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYL- VANfLL.

Applicationfiled January 1920, Serial N 0. 352,719.

y invention relates to. insulators and particularly to suspension insulators.

One object of my invention is to provide a device of the above indicated character that shall have effective insulating and dielectric properties and be of relatively short overall dimension for a given capacity.

Another object of my invention is to provide a fie tible suspension insulator that shall of units of such shape and relation to each otheras to clos'ely resemble acontinuous cylindrical insulator of the pillar. ityperand that shallbe so free, in the zone immediately adjacent to its substantially cylindricalbody portion, of metal and other bodies and field-disturbing projections as to, not only, avoid disturbing the electrostatic field in the said 'zone but to maintain'the ca pacity of the medium in thezone constant and ofrelatively low value; r

; Heretofore, it been usual, in flexiblyconnected suspension insulators, to employ porcelain members of the well-knownpetticoat type and connecting members of various kinds, such as the eye-and-clevis and many other devices that are more or less' difficult to manipulate and that occupy an undue amount of space. 5

It is a well-lmown fact that the usual fiexilily-connected suspension-type insulator does not have asgood, insulating-and dielectric properties for a given length as'an insulator of the pillar type. This has been caused by the varying diameters and masses of material enu'iloyed, the relation and spacin of the metal parts with respect to the porcelain, and the otherwise. open construction of suspension insulators.

In my copending application, Serial No. 331,548, filed Oct. 18, 1919, is disclosed a pillar-type insulator designed to improve the insulating and dielectric properties of an insulator of the pillar type and to facilitate the connection and disconnection of the component insulating units thereof.

In practicing my invention, I provide means whereby the insulating members, similar to the insulating members shown in the above mentioned application, may be effectively employed to constitute a flexibly-connected suspensioninsulator. The insulator is so constructed that all of its parts, both along the line'II II detail view taken along the line III-III of IINSULATOR.

Renewed March 1, 1927.

metal and insulating, substantially fill, and lie within, the boundaries of a cylindrical zone between its terminals. This arrangement of parts provides a region of relatively low capacitance around the insulator wherein no metal is disposed and wherein there are no field-disturbing projections. Insulating petticoat portions, which are provided to increase the creepage surface and to function as rain sheds, are disposed at substantially right angles to the field which is, therefore, not'disturbed. The several members are conneeted to so facilitate their assembly and disassembly that they may be joined and taken apart by very simple relative turning movenients.

Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings is aside view, partially in in elevation, of a portion ofan insulator'embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a view taken of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a Fig. 2,:1nd'Fig. 4 is a detail view of another adaptation of an insulator embodying my invention.

I n general, my improved insulator 'embodies a plurality of units 1, severally comrising an insulating member 2 of porcelain or other suitable material and end membeis 3 and 4.

Each insulating member 2 is preferably of substantially tubular or cup-shape having an interior transverse wall 5 and an outer pettieoat portion (3. The members 2 may have. end portions 7 of less outer diameter than the remainder of the insulator tor the reception of the end members 3 and 1 that similarly comprise substantially discoidai body portions 8 and flanges 9 embracing, and cemented to, the ends 7. The member 3 is provided with a centrally-located ontwardly-project-ing portion 10 having a transverse portion or cross arm 11 curved at its under surface 12.

The end member 4 is provided with an elongated slot- 13 substantially conforming to, and slightly larger than, the cross arm 11 for the admission of the latter to a position at the inner surface of the portion 8.

Lugs or raised portions 14 on the inner surface of the member 4, extend transversely with respect to the slot 13 and form channels 15 in which the cross arm 11 is adapted to be section and partially ,a uniform necting two of the units 1 is comparatively simple; the orossarmltbeing placedthrough the. slot :13 andturned: substantially 9031,10 its position in the channels 15. In disconnecting two of the units,

lift the :1 o t at. theq e d ,15. nd. turned 90 reigister' t't'ith" the -slet"1-3" 1 1;m ay then be readhrv h in-av'befpi'orided v loidisposed at 1.3 f the 1 T 1 19 of. suitable: ineans ni'ay nt ltlief 11 being i .re t ns ating-tieph ant a a-ari eluding; accid tal disengagement of the 'inli i nsie 'III l. r

...T:h lariarigii1rit' suqhftblp'ievbrit the I of meaning w he'n they ration fritts teen vI being: I (it, .cjlindrical shape havin' relativelji ad flat end surto'get-h cr to form occupied zone between the insulator terminals. All oithe'x'net'al parts are fivit-hinthis zone ,ivhere'rn,byreason of the higher specific inductive; vcapacity of 'porcelain,- as compared vvithfair'fthey are most advantageouslj placed. The 'p'resence'of metal in theexteriorfre g ion "surrounding the insulator, lowers the capacitance of this region and causes fiasho' e'r at lo'ive'r voltages than is possible with my, improv ed form of insua The absence rot any.' l;indj.o'f,'irregular or other field-disturbing. projeetionsin the exterior regionprevents th'e coiicent-ration of electrostatic. stresses, and the consequent breakdown caused thereby. The petticoat portions 6 are arranged at substantially right angles to the exterior field and, thcrefore, disturb it to a minimum degree, these pctticoat: being provided to increase surfacecrcepage distances and to function as rain sheds.

The absence of metal and other members in the exterior field and the compactly arranged cylindrical units are features vhich together serve to ensure very goodinsnlating and dielectricproperties.

Byemploying the insulating'inc-mbcrs 2, or members'of similar type ordinarily employed in pillar-type insulators, a'su's'pension insulator, having substantially the same insulating and dielectric characteristics as a pillartype insulator of the samc ,length, is provided. In other words, a suspension insulator is provided having,to the best of my knowledge, nuchbetter operating characteristics than other'sus'pension insulators of th same length' heretofore used.

hile I have shown and described particuthey are moved 't'olar forms of my invention, changes may b effected therein without departing from the spirit andjscope fliereot, asset. forth in the appended cl aims."

I claim as my invention:

1. An insulatorcomprising a pair otinsuzlating members 1 1aving adjacent relatively broad flat discoidal end portions, oneof said portions having a central recess therein, a

discoidal member having a central portion extending into said *recess'and secured in position over said rewssed end portion, said inwnidly eirtending portion "embodying a connector seat ort-ioirinsid said recess, and a d disc'oidal member'having'a central profit-ethi connector poi'l'i'on for co-operation 'ivith'said seat portion and secured in position oi e'r the'adjac cnt end portion of the otnerinsulatiiig member. '1 insulator'comprising a'pair of insul nginembers having adjacent end portions, one'of 'vh'ich has a central recess therein, a terminal ember having a central portion extending into said recess and secured in position over said recessed end portion,'s'a'id in- \vardly-extcnding portion embodying a connector Seat portioninsidc said recess, and a second terminal member having a central pro"ecting connector portion form-operation kit 1 said seat portion and secured in positi'onbver the'adjaccnt end portion of the ther insulating member, said terminal members having adjacent surfaces of relatively great fare'as spaced in substantially equi-disftantrelation 'to each other throughout when the'axes of said insulating members are lll 'alinement- 3. An insulator comprisin a pair of insulating members having adjacent end portions, one of which has a central recess therein, a terminal member having a central portion extending into said recess and secured in position over said recessed end portion, said inwardly-extending portion embodying a connector seat portion inside said recess, asecond terminal member secured in position over the adjacent end portion of the other insulating member, said terminal members having adjacent. surfaces of relatively groz'it areas spaced in substantially cqniulistant relation to each other throughout when the axes of I said insulating members a re in alinement, and

having a central projecting portion for cooperation with said seat portion and secured in position over the adjacent end portion of the other insulating member.

5. In an insulator, the combination with an insulating member having a recessed end portion, of a connector therefor comprising two members one of which has a portion of discoidal shape attached to said insulating member over said recessed end portion, said discoidal member having an elongated central slot and a channel portion inside said recessed end portion of the insulating member extending transversely with respect to the slot, and the other member of the connector having a projection and a transverse elongated head on the rejection for insertion through said slot and for positioning in said channel.

6. In an insulator, the combination with an insulating member having an opening therein, of a connector therefor comprising two members one of which has an elongated slot and a channel portion extending transverselywith respect to the slot and the other of which has a projection and a transverse elongated head on the projection for inser tion through said slot and for positioning in said channel, said head and said channel being operatively positioned inside the opening in said insulating member.

7. In an insulator, the combination with a hollow insulating member, of a connector therefor comprising two members, one of said members having an elongated slot and a channel portion on one side extending transversely with respect to the slot, and the other of said members having a projection and a transverse elongated head on the projection for insertion through said slot and for positioning in said channel, said head and said channel being operatively positioned inside said hollow insulating member.

8. An insulator connector comprising two relatively-thin discoidal members disposed in proximate substantially parallel planes, one of said members having an elongated slot and a channel portion on one side extending transversely with respect to the slot, and the other of said members having a projection and a transverse elongated head on the projection curved at its under side for insertion through said slot and for rocking positioning in said channel.

9. An insulator connector comprising two oppositely facing metal members of relatively-shallow substantially cup-shape, one of said members having an elongated slot in its bottom wall and a channel portion extending transversely with respect to the slot, and the other of said members having a projection and a transverse elongated head on the pro jection curved at its under side for insertion through said slot and for rocking positioning in said channel.

10. In a suspension insulator, the combination with a plurality of uxtaposed hollow insulating members, of a metal connecting member, covering an entrance to one of said insulating members, having an elongated slot and portions on its interior surface substantially constituting a channel extending transversely with respect to said slot, and a connecting member having a projection and a transverse elongated head curved on its under side on the projection to be inserted through said slot and turned to rocking position on the inner surface of said metal member in said channel.

11. In a suspension insulator, the combination with a plurality of juxtaposed insulating members of substantially cylindrical inverted cup-shape, having petticoat portions, of a relatively-shallow metal member of substantially cup-shape, embracing the closed end of one of said insulating members, having a centrally-disposed projection, said projection having an elongated transverse head curved at its under side, and a similar metal member, embracing the open end of one of said insulating members, having a slot slightly larger than, and substantially conforming to, said head, and interior spaced lugs extend= mg transversely of said slot, the said head to be inserted through said slot and turned to rocking position between said lugs.

12. An insulator comprising a pair of relatively broad fiat discoidal terminal members normally disposed in adjacent substantially parallel-plane relation for the reception of dielectric bodies opposite the outer surfaces thereof, one of said dielectric bodies having a central recess, one of said terminal members having an opening and a connector seat portion inside said recess, and the other of said members having a central projecting connector portion cooperating with said seat portion to connect said members flexibly.

13. An insulator comprising a pair of relatively broad fiat discoidal terminal members normally disposed in adjacent substantially parallehplane relation for the reception of a dielectric body therebetu'een, said dielectric body having a central recess, one of said members having an opening and a connector seat portion inside said recess, and the other of said members having a central projecting connector portion for relatively movable cooperation with a seat portion similar to said connector seat portion.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 15th day of January, 1920.

GEORGE IRVING GILCHREST.

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